The proposed allocation for the Government's aid programme, Ireland Aid, for this year represents the "single largest increase ever in the State's aid budget".
An Oireachtas committee was told yesterday by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, that the amount, €372 million, was an increase of 55 per cent - or €133 million - on last year's figure.
He said €254 million, about two-thirds of the total, was allocated as grant-in-aid for the bilateral aid programme.
"At the heart of the bilateral programme," said Mr Cowen, "are the country programmes in Africa. As in previous years, the focus is on six priority countries: Ethiopia, Lesotho, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia".
The Agency for Personal Services Overseas (APSO) accounts for €18 million, while almost €23 million is set aside for humanitarian relief for worldwide natural and man-made disasters.
Last year, assistance was made available for emergencies in India, El Salvador and Afghanistan, said Mr Cowen, adding that in January he pledged some €12 million to the reconstruction effort in Afghanistan.
He also said "some €50 million will be spent across the entire Ireland Aid programme this year on a range of activities relating to the combating of HIV/AIDS".
The Minister also stressed that comprehensive safeguards were in place to ensure "the money goes where we want it to go".
Mr Cowen also told the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs that the estimated provision for his Department for 2002 amounted to almost €173 million, an increase of almost 25 per cent on 2001.
"As in previous years, most of the estimate is taken up with the administrative budget" which amounted to about €141 million, a figure which includes wages and additional provisions.
These new provisions include the development of a new automated passport production facility, and the creation of new information and communication technologies in the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The total estimate also includes mandatory contributions to international organisations such as the UN, in particular for peace-keeping duties, as well as to provide bilateral assistance to EU candidate countries. Mr Cowen also said this year's estimate includes a provision of €3 million to cover the cost of any future referendum on the Nice Treaty.